2018 Bien Nacido

93 Points: Wine Enthusiast

92 Points: Jeb Dunnuck jebdunnuck.com - August 2020

“All destemmed and brought up in 46% new French oak, the 2018 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard has a pure, almost pretty, medium-bodied style that highlights its strawberry and raspberry fruit over the classic marine-influence of this site. Showing more floral and spice notes with time in the glass, it's nicely balanced, has ripe, polished tannins and terrific balance, and should continue drinking nicely for 7-8 years.”

Because the 2018 growing season was one of naturally high yields, we worked closely with our grower partners to thin the fruit in order to bring each vineyard into ideal balance. In general, 2018 was a late harvest, and the clusters ripened slowly. We picked on September 18th, 2018. Because Bien Nacido is an 8-hour drive from our winery, the grapes were transported in a refrigerated truck to ensure they arrived in pristine condition.

First planted in 1973, the famed Bien Nacido Vineyard is widely recognized as one of California’s greatest vineyards, and one of the New World’s grand cru-caliber winegrowing sites. Located in Santa Barbara County’s Santa Maria Valley, its unique location features one of the only transverse (east to west) mountain ranges in the U.S. This funnels cool air in off the Pacific, making the region one of the coolest appellations in California, while also providing one of the longest growing seasons. Our block of Bien Nacido is planted to Clone 667 Pinot Noir, grown in well-drained shale and sandstone soils.

• composition:

  100% Pinot Noir

• alcohol: 14.2%
• cases made:

  13 Barrels
  279 Cases

• bottling date: 07/26/2019
• aging:

  Aged 10 months in French oak, 46% new

• fermentation:

  Gently destemmed into open-top fermenters; three-day cold soak; cap management included pump-overs & punch-downs